To what extent did the compromises made during the writing of the Constitution sow the seeds for sectional discord later on?
Check this site for the compromises.
http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/highschool/pjordan/ushonors/Regents%20Review/Review%20Lessons/Compromises.html
To determine the extent to which the compromises made during the writing of the Constitution sowed the seeds for sectional discord later on, we need to examine the compromises themselves and their impact on the nation.
1. The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise): This compromise addressed the issue of representation in Congress. It established a bicameral legislature, with states represented equally in the Senate and proportionally in the House of Representatives. While this compromise avoided immediate conflict, it created a tension between large and small states. Over time, this disparity in representation would play a role in shaping sectional divisions, particularly between the North and the South.
2. Three-Fifths Compromise: This compromise resolved the issue of how enslaved individuals would be counted for representation and taxation purposes. It decided that each enslaved person would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This compromise reinforced the divide between states with significant slave populations (mostly in the South) and those without. As tensions over slavery grew, this compromise fueled sectional disputes, eventually leading to the Civil War.
3. Commerce Compromise: This compromise addressed the regulation of trade and commerce. It granted the federal government the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce but prohibited it from imposing export taxes or interfering with the international slave trade for a period of 20 years. This compromise temporarily eased tensions between the North, which had diverse economic interests, and the South, which relied heavily on agriculture and slavery. However, it also allowed for the expansion of slavery, contributing to later conflicts between free and slave states.
4. Fugitive Slave Clause: This clause required escaped slaves to be returned to their owners. It placed the responsibility for the recapture of fugitive slaves on the states. This provision deepened divisions between the North and the South, as some Northern states either neglected or openly defied the enforcement of the law. The controversy surrounding the Fugitive Slave Clause contributed to the growing divide between the two regions.
In conclusion, the compromises made during the writing of the Constitution did indeed sow the seeds for sectional discord later on. The issues of representation, slavery, and commerce were central to these compromises and played a significant role in the conflicts that arose between the North and the South, eventually leading to the American Civil War.